1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus provided at a roof side rail which is provided on a side of the roof of a vehicle and extends in the front-back direction of the vehicle.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-254930, filed Sep. 2, 2005, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
An airbag apparatus called a “side curtain airbag” is known, in which an airbag is provided along an inner face (i.e., facing the interior of a vehicle) of a roof side rail which is provided on a side of the roof and extends in the front-back direction of the vehicle, and the airbag is deployed downward along the inner face of a window. In an example of such an airbag apparatus, an airbag is contained in a roof side rail garnish for covering the inner face of the roof side rail, and when the airbag is deployed, the roof side rail garnish, which receives a pushing force from the airbag, is bent at an easily-bending thin portion (i.e., having a smaller thickness in comparison with other portions) formed therein, so as to produce an opening through which the airbag is deployed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-53366).
In another example as a similar airbag apparatus, the upper end of the roof side rail garnish and the upper end of an attachment plate part arranged on the back side of the roof side rail garnish are coupled in a hinge form via an easily-bending portion, and when the airbag is deployed, the roof side rail garnish, which receives a pushing force from the airbag, rotates around the easily-bending portion, so as to produce an opening through which the airbag is deployed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H9-240409).
When a thin portion is formed in the roof side rail garnish as explained above, the thin portion may influence surface property, or may produce an undesirable appearance.
In addition, in such a structure in which the upper end of the roof side rail garnish and the attachment plate part arranged on the back side thereof are coupled in the hinge form, a hinge part is formed in an end portion of the coupled body and thus it is difficult to secure appropriate mechanical strength at this part.